Firestone senior wide receiver and cornerback Jeremy Mingo will continue his football career at Columbia University next season. Mingo was a solid all-around player this past season who led the Falcons with four touchdown receptions and five interceptions. He was a first-team All-City Series selection as well.``Jeremy is a hardworking and talented kid who knows what he wants,'' Firestone coach Tim Flossie said. ``His big thing is academics. He does a heck of a job in the classroom. He's a genuine student-athlete.''

The 2010 Hoban football team opens with Garfield on a Thursday night later this fall and Hoban coach Ralph Orsini is very optimistic about the group returning for the Knights for the upcoming season.

"Overall, we have a number of young talented players who are anxious to step in and show us what they can do," Orsini said in an e-mail. "We have the potential to have a very competitive team that can be outstanding in 2010."

North Canton Hoover running back Erick Howard is one of three Ohio players named to the Parade All-American football team.

The others are Jordan Hicks from Lakota West near Cincinnati and Latwan Anderson of Cleveland Glenville. Fifty-eight players were named to the team, which will be in the Parade magazine in Sunday's Akron Beacon Journal.

Walsh Jesuit baseball player Tyler Skulina was recently named the 2009 PUKKA Ohio Player of the Year at the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association annual Hall of Fame Banquet.

Skulina, a senior right-handed pitcher, helped the Warriors to a 2008 state championship and a 2009 state runner up. he is committed to the University of Virginia and is arguably the most decorated player in Walsh Jesuit High School Baseball history, according to his coach Chris Kaczmar.

Rich Nowak may not be the head football coach at Brunswick, but that does not preclude him from coaching there or somewhere else. Nowak was head coach twice for the Blue Devils, racking up 152 wins.

"I'm most proud of the fact we have made the playoffs the past nine straight years," Nowak said. "It is just time for me to give up teaching and being a head coach. Being a head coach is practically a full-time job."

The Orrville football team made the Division IV playoffs this past fall and coach Doug Davault believes the postseason will still be a legitimate goal in 2010.

Orrville loses 17 seniors to graduation (12 starters plus the punter, placekicker, long snapper, punt returner and kickoff returners). The team has to replace five players on offense and seven on defense. Also, the team will lose the top three receivers, QB, defensive line and all but one in the defensive secondary.

Firestone senior forward and captain James Wimberly will miss the next 6 to 8 weeks after breaking a bone in his foot Tuesday against Walsh Jesuit. The 6-foot-7 Wimberly was Firestone's leading scorer, averaging 20.5 points and 10.5 rebounds a game.

``This is a tremendous blow not only to James but Firestone basketball as well,'' said Falcons coach Joe Wojcik. ``James was having a great year and getting serious looks from colleges throughout the state. Besides his points and rebounds, James' leadership skills will be greatly missed. All those associated with Firestone basketball feel for James and wish him a speedy recovery.''

All season long, the Firestone and Kenmore girls basketball teams have been putting up big numbers. Firestone is 9-1 overall and 5-0 in the City and Kenmore (8-2, 5-0) is led by senior guard Shanequa Williams, who is averaging almost 35 points a game.

The two teams will matchup 7 p.m. Thursday at Kenmore in a game that should be very competitive and entertaining.

Garfield senior RB Tyson Gulley is the first Garfield football player selected for the North-South game since former Garfield standout Eli Ward, who played in the game in 1999. Ward was later a safety at Minnesota.